VN film industry needs copyright watchdog

Headed for trouble: Copies of the comedy Long Ruoi were available on the internet soon after it was screened in cinemas in 2011. — Photo thethaovanhoa.vn

"The country's film industry needs to have an organisation similar to the Viet Nam Centre for Protection of Music Copyright, which came into being 10 years ago," People's Artist Dang Xuan Hai told a recent workshop on copyrights in the film industry in Ha Noi.

The one-day workshop was organised by the association following the Government's Decree 131/2013/ND-CP on the punishment of administrative violations of copyright and related rights.

The decree, which took effect on Sunday, regulates that any individual or organisation that infringes upon the copyright of movies and TV series will be fined VND250 million (US$12,000) and VND500 million ($24,000), respectively.

According to the Deputy General Director of the culture ministry's Copyright Office, Pham Thi Kim Oanh, the lack of public awareness about copyright laws in Viet Nam was the reason copyright violations are continuing to occur.

"Some individuals and organisations intentionally infringe, even though they understand the scope of their rights and duty," she said.

Agreeing with Oanh, People's Artist and noted director Dang Nhat Minh chipped in, saying "None of the sectors in the arts and literature areas have to witness the open and widespread violations of copyrights as does the film industry."

"The music sector has found a way of protecting their copyright, but the cinema sector hasn't," the director of Dung Dot (Don't Burn) said.

"It's a headache for the industry workers. We make films, but sometimes we don't even know where or when our films are screened. The current regulations seem to protect investors, rather than the producers."

This has become such a serious issue that this workshop was the third held during the final months of the year.

A newly-released film is promptly uploaded illegally onto the internet for the public and those seeking profits through advertisements, reported the The Thao & Van Hoa (Sports & Culture) newspaper.

Further, as soon as an imported feature movies are screened in the cinemas, DVDs of the movie are immediately put on sale on open markets or by street vendors, the newspaper wrote.

"We pour a huge amount of money into importing movies. It's really dangerous if the violation continues," said Nguyen Van Nghiem, CEO from the Studio A Film Co.

"In the meanwhile, many local filmmakers have to mortgage their vehicles and homes to make films. If their works are reproduced, they should feel heart-broken," he added.

According to high-technology company CNC, Viet Nam recorded 33 million internet users, while about 14 million users watched online videos in 2012.

"We lose hundreds of billion of dong each year in music, cinema and television – too high as compared to VND40 billion ($1.9 million) we earned from copyright payments in music last year," CNC representative Dao Viet Dung told online newspaper .

Therefore, Oanh, from the culture ministry's Copyright Office, stressed the newly-created document was meant to stop the piracy, creating a legal corridor for the protection of copyright in the cinema industry through specific regulations and punitive tools.